GB team for World Champs announced
Alistair Brownlee, 21 from Leeds, has today been named at the head of a list of seven triathletes - three men and four women - announced by British Triathlon to take part in the Elite, Senior Races at the ITU World Championships Series Grand Final.
Alistair Brownlee, 21 from Leeds, has today been named at the head of a list of seven triathletes – three men and four women – announced by British Triathlon to take part in the Elite, Senior Races at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championships Series, Grand Final on the Gold Coast, Australia, on 13 September.
Britain has also entered strong contenders for the U23 and junior categories for Men and Women, taking place at the same venue.
Brownlee has taken the triathlon world by storm this year, winning four of the Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championships Series editions to date – including last Saturday’s event in Hyde Park, London.
He goes to Australia as world no.1 and favourite to win the Series. Victory in Australia would give him the World Championships crown for 2009.
Brownlee has battled with 2008 world champion, Javier Gomez of Spain, to win his four titles so far but also looks set to face Olympic champion Jan Frodeno of Germany in Australia. His younger brother, Jonathan, 19, who was 27th in the Elite race in Hyde Park will race for the junior boys’ title – opening the prospect of a family double.
Londoner Tim Don, Britain’s former world champion who has also been named today, showed good form last weekend on home turf with a ninth-placed finish, one of his best this season. Will Clarke, the third British man on the selection sheet for the Gold Coast, led the field temporarily during the final run phase on Saturday in London before taking a 15th place finish overall.
Helen Jenkins, the 2008 Women’s World Champion from Bridgend, took bronze in London last weekend and is coming into form at the right time. She is currently world-ranked fifth.
Liz Blatchford will attempt to boost her ranking en route to the Gold Coast, her current home, as a contender in Yokohama, Japan, this weekend. Blatchford, originally from Manchester, was 22nd in London – just one place ahead of Havering’s Jodie Swallow. Swallow will also race in Yokohama and has been named today alongside Kerry Lang of Glasgow for the Grand Final.
Hollie Avil, 16th in the Elite race in Hyde Park and a former nominee for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, will contest the u23 women’s event with Jodie Stimpson, 11th in London last weekend, and Vicky Holland.
Aaron Harris and David McNamee race in the U23 category and Vicky Graves will contest the junior girls’ event.
GB SELECTIONS
MEN
Alistair Brownlee: 23 April, 1988, Lives: Leeds; From: Leeds
Tim Don: 14 January 1978; Lives: Loughborough; From: London
Will Clarke 31 January 1985, Lives: Loughborough: From: Cambridge
WOMEN
Helen Jenkins: 8 March, 1984; Lives: Bridgend, Wales; From: Elgin, Scotland
Liz Blatchford: 5 February 1980; Lives: Gold Coast, Australia; From: Manchester
Jodie Swallow: 23 June 1981; Lives Loughborough; From: Havering, Essex
Kerry Lang: 24 January 1976; Lives and From: Glasgow
U23 MEN
Aaron Harris: 10 June 1988, From: Portsmouth
David McNamee: 20 April, 1988; Lives: Stirling, Scotland
U23 WOMEN
Hollie Avil: 12 April 1990; Lives: Bugbrooke, Northants; From: Northampton
Jodie Stimpson: 8 February 1989; Lives and From: Oldbury, W. Midlands;
Vicky Holland: 12 January 1986; Lives: Loughborough; From: Gloucester
JUNIOR BOYS
Jonny Brownlee: 30 April, 1990; Lives: Leeds; From: Leeds
JUNIOR GIRLS
Vicky Graves: 30 June, 1990. York.
Photo: Delly Carr
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
